Apparatus for continuous treatment of fabrics



D 26, 1967 SENZO KOSHINO I 3,

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS TREATMENT OF FABRICS Filed Nov. 24, 1965 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 3/ D 2 4 ("1: 5 l I Y 5 i I FIG. HA) 1m my M! A M l a uni 7 w IO II FIG. HB)

1967 O SENZO KOS'HINO 3, 59,763

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS TREATMENT OF FABRICS Filed Nov. 24, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2(0) FIG. 3(A) FIG. 5(a) W u an Dec. 26, 1967 SENZO IKOSHINO 3,359,763

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS TREATMENT OF FABRICS Filed Nov. 24, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 3(D) FIG., 4'

FIG. 5(A) w fis" Dec. 26, 1967 SENZO KOSHINO 3,359,763

APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS TREATMENT OF FABRICS Filed Nov. 24, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 5(8) United States Patent 3,359,763 APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS TREATMENT OF FABRICS Senzo Koshino, Fukui-shi, Japan, assignor to Fukui eiren Kako Kabushiki Kaisha, Fukui-shi, Fukui-ken,

a an

p Filed Nov. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 509,566

5 Claims. (Cl. 68-155) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fabric treating apparatus in which an inner tank is driven reciprocally along a horizontal path within an outer tank containing a treatment liquid, the inner tank having a perforated bottom plate including a succession of corrugations which are partially submerged in the treating liquid in the outer tank, such that a fabric can be advanced along the bottom plate in a generally horizontal direction and alternately immersed and extracted from the treating liquid while undergoing crumpling and beating action, all in a tensionless state.

This invention relates to apparatus for a continuous treatment such as washing, craping, shrinking, refining, bleaching and dyeing of various woven or knitted fabrics.

In applying such treatment to various woven or knitted fabrics, particularly to those fabrics made of highly twisted yarns and of woolly yarns, etc., various apparatus have been heretofore used, depending upon the object of treatment. But in such treatment, the fabrics inevitably undergo a certain extent of non-uniform tension when treated by such conventional apparatus. Hence, it has been considered extremely difficult to apply uniform treatment all over the fabric and it has been, in fact, impossible to eliminate various inconveniences accompanied by such non-uniform treatment prior to the present invention.

An object of the present invention is, accordingly, to overcome the above-mentioned defects of the conventional apparatus and to provide an apparatus which enables to carry out the uniform treatment of fabrics.

These objects and other advantages can be attained by the present invention as explained in detail hereinbelow.

The apparatus of the present invention comprises an outer tank containing water, or an aqueous solution or the like to be used for the treatment of fabrics, an inner tank placed within said outer tank, said inner tank having a perforated and corrugated bottom and being allowed to move within said outer tank, means for reciprocating said inner tank within the outer tank back and forth in the travellingdirection of said fabrics passed therethrough, and means for feeding and taking up the fabrics to and from said inner tank.

In the apparatus of the present invention, said outer tank contains suitable treating liquid depending upon. the kin-d of treatment to be applied on the fabrics e.g. washing, craping', refining, bleaching and dyeing. The liquid used for the treatment is charged in the outer tank and, if necessary, the liquid may be heated to the desired temperatures by a suitable heater.

The corrugations of the bottom of said inner tank may take various shapes. However, in a basic type, the corrugated surface of the bottom plate of the inner tank takes a shape consisting of, when viewed from the side perpendicular to the travelling direction of fabrics, a serie of a perforated jagged surfaces consisting of an ascending slope and a nearly vertical descending wall followed one after another. In a modified type, the corrugated bottom is in the form of a series of nearly semicircular curved surface having the greater curvature in the backward part than in the forward part.

In the present invention, the liquid is charged into the outer tank and the fabrics to be treated are fed continuously onto the bottom surface of the inner tank which is reciprocating within the outer tank, driven by a suitable mechanism, in the longitudinal direction of said fabrics travelling therethrough. The reciprocal movement of the inner tank causes the repetition of violent movements of the liquid in the travelling direction of the fabrics, as well as in the upward and downward directions. As a result, the fabrics in the inner tank are subjected to repetition of such complicated movements as folding, unfolding, beating and crumpling under a tensionless condition half immersed in the liquid, during the travelling from the feed entrance to the takeup exit, and thus the uniform and satisfactory treatment of fabrics are accomplished while the fabrics being urged forwardly automatically.

The liquid in the outer tank used for the treatment may be water or aqueous solution of suitable treating chemicals, and the amount of the liquid used is adjusted so as to immerse a half of the fabric to be treated in the liquid. If required, it is possible to blow jet streams of liquid against the fabrics in the advancing direction in order to promote the travel of the fabrics.

The various features, and details of the operation and construction of the aparatus are hereinafter more fully explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1(A) and (B) are sectional elevation and plan views of a basic apparatus in accordance with the present invention, respectively;

FIGS. 2(A) and (B) are sectional elevation and plan views of one modification of the apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2(0) is an enlarged sectional view showing a part of a bottom of an inner tank and the state of movement of the treating liquid and the fabric;

FIGS. 3(A), (B), (C) and (D) are sectional views of various types of bottom of the inner tank;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another type of a bottom of the inner tank;

FIG. 5(A) is a sectional elevation view of still another modification in which several tank units are vertically arranged in series;

FIG. 5 (B) is a sectional elevation view of still another modification in which several tank units are horizontally arrange-d in series;

FIG. 6 is a sectional elevation of still another modification having means for aiding the travel of fabrics by a water jet; and

FIG. 7 is a plan view of still another modification for treating fabrics in the form of a roll.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1(A), (B), there is shown a basic type of the apparatus according to the present invention, in which, numeral 1 is an outer tank containing the treating liquid. Numeral 2 is an inner tank supported in the outer tank 1 by a suitable means, and capable of performing reciprocal movement along the longitudinal direction by means of a crank mechanism in which shaft 8 acts on tank 2 and is driven by crank 9 from a prime mover 11 via a reducing gear unit 10. The bottom of the inner tank is formed by arranging inclined parts 4 having parallel corrugations of saw-tooth shape and vertical fiat parts having many holes 4', one after another.

Numeral 3 represents a fabric to be treated. The fabric 3 is fed into one end of the inner tank 2 from the roll 5 so as to touch the bottom of the tank immediately. The end portion of the fabric 3 is wound up on a winding drum through a roll 5'.

While undergoing crumpling action by the motion of the liquid caused both by the parallel saw-tooth-like corrugations in the inclined parts and by the passage of the liquid through holes 4' in the vertical parts, the fabric travels automatically under a tensionless condition to the last step 6 where it is taken out of the tank by a roll and wound up on a winding drum. It is also possible to arrange the above-mentioned apparatus in series to repeat the same treatments.

The level 7 of the liquid in the tank is adjusted by an overflow pipe so that half of the fabric 3 is allowed to sink in the liquid. The temperature of the liquid can be adjusted to a desired degree by blowing steam directly into the outer tank 1 or indirectly by a steam pipe. The frequency of the reciprocal movement of the inner tank and revolution of the feed roll and of the take up roll can be adjusted by a suitable device manually or automatically according to the kind of fabric to be treated.

FIG. 2 shows another type of the apparatus for the treatment of fabrics according to the present invention. Each numeral is used to show the same parts as in FIG. 1.

In this type of apparatus, the inner tank 2 has a corrugated bottom whose cross section viewed from the side perpendicular to the travelling direction of fabrics, consists of a series of nearly-half-circular curved surfaces 4a, the curvature of which is slightly greater in the forward part than in the backward part as shown in FIG. 2(A) and (C). Referring now to FIG. 2(C), about half of the height of the curved part of the bottom of the inner tank is immersed in the liquid and the fabrics to be treated are fed onto this curved part under a tensionless condition.

When the inner tank is moved to the direction as shown by an arrow in the drawing, the level of the liquid rises at the backward portion as shown by the reference lines 7. The fabric 3 is pressed against the bottom plate by this rising liquid. A part of the rising liquid is expelled from the liquid surfaces, and spatters on to the fabrics to beat the fabrics. Another part of the liquid flows out of the curved part through holes 4a. Thus, the fabrics are subjected to complicated bending motions while being crumpled and beaten between themselves and between the fabrics and the bottom by the violent flows and by the spattering of the liquid. Since the curvature of the curved parts is greater in the forward part, the fabrics are sent automatically toward the direction of lesser resistance as shown by the arrow.

FIGS. 3(A), (B), (C) and (D) show various types of bottom plates 4b, 4c, 4d, and 42 respectively, by way of example, and it will be understood that any other types may be employed and the suitable type may be chosen among these types according to the kind of the fabrics to be treated and the object of the treatment. These types are formed by combining the vertical surface, horizontal surface, inclined surface and curved surface so that the forward part may be inclined at a gentle slope. In the FIG. 3(C), many projected ribs 4 are provided on the curved surface. Various irregular bending and crumpling effects are caused by these asymmetrical, perforated bottom plates and those effects are enhanced by the projected ribs while the fabrics travelling to one direction. The effect of above-mentioned actions is great er in the order of (A), (B), (C) and (D) in FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 4 shows still another type of the bottom plate in which bottom plates of different shape are combined, and many holes 4 are effectively arranged so as to allow the fabrics to travel in one direction.

Generally, the corrugated lines are arranged in parallel with each other as shown in FIG. 2(B), but according to circumstances, all of the parallel corrugated lines may be wholly bent in the central portion so as to form V or reversed V shape.

By bending the corrugated lines as mentioned above, it is possible to give the fabrics crumpling forces in the transverse direction, i.e., such forces serve to broaden or narrow the width of the fabrics and to equalize the unevenness of shrinkage in warps and woofs of the fabrics. It is also possible to incline the bottom on the whole or to lower the central part of the bottom so as to adjust the residence period of the fabric in the liquid.

The bottom plate can be made of water-proofed wood, stainless steel plate treated in aventurine or the like. It is preferable to use a water-proofed and anti-corrosive material whose surface friction aids the crumpling action of fabrics and facilitates the smooth travel of the fabrics.

As for the reciprocal motion of the inner tank, a frequency in the range of two to three strokes per second is preferable and the amplitude is preferably less than 20 cm. when the longitudinal length of the unit curve of the bottom is about 20 cm. When the bottom of the inner tank has about 10 of these unit curves, a considerably large power is required, particularly in the treatment of wide fabrics. Hence, it is necessary to use a sufliciently powerful driving mechanism such as a crank mechanism, cam mechanism or reciprocating piston mechanism using compressed air or hydraulic pressure.

The treating process of the present invention may not only be carried out with a single tank unit as explained above, but also in a system in which two or more tank units are arranged in series. By using a system of a series of tanks, it is possible to repeat the same treatment or to carry out the continuous treatment of several different processes, for example, shrinking, refining and dyeing. The apparatus of the present invention may possibly be used together with other working apparatus.

FIG. 5 (A) illustrates the tank system arranged vertically in series wherein the different bottom shapes in tanks 2 and 2a give the fabric diflferent effects, as Well as the treatment of a different degree.

FIG. 5 (B) shows the tank system horizontally arranged, and in this case each treatment in each unit tank is different, for example, the first unit tank 2 is used for craping, the second unit tank 21; is used for refining and the third unit tank 211 for dyeing.

In each tank there is provided apparatus for controlling the height of the liquid surface and the temperature, and also apparatus for circulating a treating liquid and adding the chemical agent or dyeing solution to the refining tank or dyeing tank, respectively. The amplitude and frequency of the reciprocation are also made adjustable. The residence time of the fabrics is determined by considering the length of the inner tank, correspondingly, the speed of feeding and taking up of the fabric may be adjusted. In the case of dyeing, a relatively long time is required in general, therefore, two or more dyeing tanks are connected in series, or an endless system as shown in the third tank in FIG. 5 (B) may be installed, in order to carry out repeated dyeing. When different treatments with different treating liquids are carried out successively, the llquid absorbed in the fabric must be squeezed out by a mangle after each treatment, and in some cases the squeezing must be carried out after washing of the fabrics with water. When the fabrics are dyed in padding in the course of travelling through the system of the present invention, followed by a fixing bath in the tank of the present system, an extremely fast and uniform dyeing of fabrics can be accomplished.

FIG. 6 illustrates a case where water, which is being circulated by a pump P through a pipe 10, is ejected from et holes 8 onto the fabric floating in the tensionless state to enhance the travelling of fabrics toward the withdrawal end. When the amount of water ejected from the jet holes is increased, it is possible to advance the fabrics in a tank 2g having a bottom with corrugations of a symmetrical, circular shape as illustrated in the drawing.

In all the continuous treating apparatus mentioned above, the fabric is treated in its flat condition, but as shown in FIG. 7, the fabric can also be treated in the form of a roll so long as the fabrics are relatively thin.

Now, as described above, according to the present invention, the fabrics are bent irregularly, beaten and crumpled by the violent flow of fluid under a tensionless free condition.

The above mentioned method can be applied to various treatments, for example, washing, craping, shrinking, refining, bleaching and dyeing, while afi'ording an excellent result. The invention can also be applied to the treatment of woven and knitted fabrics composed of various fibres, and particularly it is elfective in affording unique shrinking effect to fabrics of highly twisted yarn including various synthetic fibers. The treatment of the present invention has established a novel process for producing shrinking effect to fabrics of new synthetic yarns such as stretch yarns and Spandex (trade name).

The present invention improves the conventional batch treatments used heretofore in craping and shrinking for woolen fabrics in the effect and efiiciency to a great extent. Accordingly, the availability of the apparatus and the method of the present invention in the commercial operation in which the liquid treatment is called for may be very extensive and valuable.

Example 1 A continuous craping, refining and dyeing of cuproammonium georgette fabrics (composed of 30 denier highly twisted yarns) was carried out with the use of three units of the present invention. The inner tank of the first unit had a bottom constructed with 10 jagged ascending parts and was capable of performing a reciprocal motion of 20 cm. amplitude, and 130 times per minute frequency. The above-mentioned fabrics were passed through the first unit containing water at a temperature of 30 C. for 3 minutes by which the fabrics were shrunk and craped by 35 percent in width. The second unit had the same construction as that of the first unit and contained 2 g./liter of Monogen (trade name of a surfacant), 1 g./liter of Na CO 0.5 g./liter hydrosulfite and 0.2 g./ liter of soap. By using 750 liters of solution of these ingredients, the refining was carried out at a temperature of 95 C. for 3 minutes in the second unit. The third unit used as a dyeing unit contained 0.5 percent by weight of Solar Yellow 26L, 5 percent by weight of Glaubers salt and 0.25 g./ liter of Monogen and the amplitude and frequency of the reciprocal motion in the instant case were reduced to half of those of the foregoing two units. The fabrics were treated hereat at a temperature of 85 C. for one hour while repeating the treatment with the use of an endless mechanism. Thereafter, the fabrics were washed with water and subjected to the fire-retarding treatment with a resin. As the consequence of these treatments, at high quality finished fabric was obtained.

Example 2 Fabrics useful for ski trousers composed of 100 denier nylon yarns which had been processed to afford bulkiness by a false twist method as a warp and nylon blend spun yarns 2/40S as a woof were treated in a spread state by the same continuous treating apparatus as in Example 1. As a treating liquid, 750 liters of solution containing 0. 2 g./liter of nonionic surfactant (Sunlet 214, a trade name) was used at a temperature of 60 C. A reciprocal motion of 20 cm. amplitude and 130 times/min. was given for 3 minutes to the inner tank while the fabrics were passed two times through the inner tank to gain sufiicient shrinking. Thereafter, the fabrics having been tagged at both their ends were rolled up into a cylindrical form and subjected to refining and dyeing with a wince. After being opened into spread form again, the fabrics were subjected to drying, resin treatment and steamshrinking to produce 36.6 percent of woof shrinkage and 3 percent of warp shrinkage, and there was obtained an excellent material for ski trousers having an elongation rate of 55 percent.

A method for measuring elongation rate used in this example was as follows:

Two specimens having a size of 55 x 7.5 cm. were taken from a shrinkable direction of material and marked at points every 50 cm. distances apart excluding both the ends. The specimens were hung with clamps and left under a load of 5 lbs. for one hour. The elongation between every two marks were calculated by the following equation and an average value of all parts was obtained from the calculation applied to the two specimens.

elongation original length original length X While particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not intended to limit the present invention, and changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for continuously treating fabrics which comprises an outer tank containing a treating liquid to be used for the treatment of fabrics, an inner tank slidably supported within said outer tank for movement along a horizontal path, said inner tank having a perforated bottom plate including a succession of corrugations which are partially submerged in the treating liquid in the outer tank, means for reciprocating said inner tank within the outer tank linearly along said horizontal path and means for feeding a fabric to said inner tank for passage along the bottom plate thereof and for taking up the fabric from said inner tank.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each corrugation in said bottom plate of the inner tank includes an inclined portion which is solid and unperforated and a substantially vertical portion connecting adjacent inclined portions, the perforations in said bottom plate being restricted to said vertical portions, said inclined portions ascending in the direction of advance of the fabric.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each corrugation in said bottom plate of the inner tank includes an inclined portion and a substantially vertical portion connecting adjacent inclined portions, said inclined portions ascending in the direction of advance of the fabric.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each corrugation is of substantially semicircular cross-section, when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the direction of advance of the fabric, each corrugation including a portion having slightly greater curvature in the backward portion than in the forward portion with respect to the direction of advance of the fabric.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each corrugation of the bottom plate of the inner tank comprises a substantially vertical perforated portion and a curved perforated portion connected thereto and including a plurality of inwardly projecting ribs thereon.

elongation rate= References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 87,013 2/1869 Todd 68155 1,465,448 8/1923 Koebel 68172 2,222,777 11/1940 Linke. 2,975,625 3/1961 Lundgren 68158 X FOREIGN PATENTS 573,300 3/1959 Canada.

IRVING B'UNEVICH, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUSLY FABRICS WHICH COMPRISES AN OUTER TANK CONTAINING A TREATING LIQUID TO BE USED FOR THE TREATMENT OF FABRICS, AN INNER TANK SLIDABLY SUPPORTED WITHIN SAID OUTER TANK FOR MOVEMENT ALONG A HORIZONTAL PATH, SAID INNER TANK HAVING A PERFORATED BOTTOM PLATE INCLUDING A SUCCESSION OF CORRUGATIONS WHICH ARE PARTIALLY SUBMERGED IN THE TREATING LIQUID IN THE 